The Masque
by Kara Hitame
Summary: This story is a one-shot on what would have happened had Henry already known that Danielle was a servant, early on in the beginning, at the masque when Rodmilla is revealing what Danielle is.


This is a new story...I was watching Ever After and this idea came to me. It was later and I had nothing to do and decided I'd start a short story.

This story is a one-shot on what would have happened had Henry already known that Danielle was a servant, early on in the beginning, at the masque when Rodmilla is revealing what Danielle is. It starts with the scene of the Baronesses' outburst.

Disclaimer: I do not own Ever After.

* * *

"The Masque"

Danielle gasped as her wing was torn.

"How dare you!" Rodmilla exclaimed.

"Madame, contain yourself!" Henry ordered.

"She is an imposter, Sire!" The wicked woman said.

"No!" Danielle cried.

"Her name is Danielle de Barbarac. She has been my servant for the past ten years."

Henry chuckled while the crowd gasped in shock.

"I know."

Rodmilla gaped. "You...know...Highness?"

Danielle felt faint.

"Yes, I knew. I realized when we met at the lake."

King Francis was annoyed. "Inside, all of you, now."

Danielle paled. Would they hang her for this? Or have her shipped to the Americas?

Henry grabbed her hand and smiled, the frightened girl looked nervously at him.

"Don't worry," he said, "I'm here to protect you."

King Francis, Queen Marie, Henry, Danielle, Marguerite, Jacqueline, and Rodmilla left the shocked crowd staring and headed inside to the Counsel Room. They each took a seat on chairs and pillows. The king and queen sat on their thrones, Henry sat on a pillow with Danielle to his left. Rodmilla sat in a chair at the table with Marguerite to her right. Jacqueline sat next to Danielle on a pillow.

"Now, Henry, what is this all about dear?" Marie asked.

"Well," the prince began, "It all started with the morning I ran away, the most recent attempt. My horse had slipped a shoe so I thought I'd borrow one." Henry looked at Danielle in remembrance of that day as he continued, "After I got it, I came across a servant, with quite a good arm. She was trying to stop me from stealing her father's horse, until she realized who I was, that is.

Well anyway, I met her again later that day in Court. I thought she looked and sounded familiar, but it wasn't till that day at the lake, when I realized she was the servant from the orchard. I kept quiet about what I knew, hoping she'd feel trusting enough to tell me herself," Henry looked at Danielle and she looked down ashamed.

"I was...coming tonight to tell you...I tried to earlier at the ruins...but your words were too much and I just couldn't!" Danielle cried.

Henry put his arm around her shoulder. "I'm sorry...I should have let you talk..."

Danielle was about to reply, when angry outbursts came from Marguerite and Rodmilla.

"Mother! How could this happen!"

"Insolent servant! After all I've done for you?!"

Danielle shyly tapped Henry's shoulder, "If I may...I want to add to the servant part. I'll tell you what I was going to, now."

Henry looked at her confused, "Okay...?"

The king frowned. What more could there be to that story? A servant was born a servant. That was it.

"My father was the Master of the Manor. He married the Baroness and brought her and her daughters home. This all began when he died when I was 8. The Baroness forced me to become a servant. I lost my room and most of the possessions that I owned. I was only allowed to have a few things that once belonged to my parents."

Rodmilla feigned horror and outrage. "Your Majesties! I would never, ever do that to my own daughter! That's a lie! She is a servant and obviously lying to gain your crown and sneak her way to the throne! I assure you as soon as I take her home, she will be punished!"

Marie frowned. "Those stories contradict one another..."

"She is lying!" The Baroness yelled, quite out of her normal behavior.

"That may be, but there is another thing. What about her traveling by boat, engaged to a Belgian?"

Danielle interrupted before Rodmilla could make an excuse. "No. I was never traveling by boat engaged to a Belgian. Henry can tell you. I was with him at the ruins of Amboise and Jacqueline can tell you I was locked in a cellar as soon as I got home."

Both mentioned, nodded their heads.

Francis was angry now.

"Baroness...did you, or did you not, lie to Her Majesty the Queen of France?" he demanded.

"Choose your words wisely, Madame..." Marie warned, "For they may be your last."

"A woman would do practically anything...for the love of her daughter, Your Majesties," Rodmilla tried.

The King and Queen glared.

"Perhaps...I did get a little carried away."

"Mother, what have you done?!" Marguerite cried, "Your Majesty, like you, I am just a victim here. She has lied to us both and I am ashamed to call her family."

"How dare you turn on me you ingrate!"

"You see what I have to put up with??"

"Silence both of you! You will both be shipped to the Americas unless someone speaks up for you, and since there are so few in here, your chances are small," the King said.

After some silence, just as the King was to announce his decision, Danielle spoke up quietly.

"I will speak for them. All I ask though is that you give them the same treatment as they gave me," she whispered.

Marie smiled, "As you wish, Danielle dear. Guards, remove these two from our sight."

Rodmilla and Marguerite were escorted, kicking and screaming, to the servant chamber. Francis, Marie, and Jacqueline left with the excuse of heading back to the crowd. The King announced he'd tell the crowd that Henry would be back soon, with the future Queen.

Danielle looked at Henry.

"What will happen now?" she asked.

"Now we go back to the masque and announce our engagement properly, then live happily ever after."

"That sounds good, let's go...Your Highness," Danielle teased.

"That's Henry to you," Henry said feigning annoyance.

"Highness!" Danielle called and ran.

Henry laughed and chased her around the room. He caught the woman and held her waist.

"First, let's get you cleaned up."

"Okay," Danielle said as Henry called a maid in.

"Get her presentable for an engagement announcement."

"Yes, Your Highness," the maid said and led Danielle away.

Twenty minutes later, Danielle came back in a satin royal blue gown. The neck was scoop cut and the sleeves went to mid forearm. Her hair was intricately done with curls and ribbons strung through it. She had light makeup on her face and her glass slippers were on her feet.

"You look beautiful," Henry said.

"Thank you," she replied.

Henry held out his arm and Danielle took it.

"My Princess, I do believe we're keeping our audience waiting."

Danielle giggled, "Let's not keep them waiting then, my Prince."

"Indeed," Henry said and led Danielle back to the Masque where they were met with Francis's voice announcing:

"Welcome the future King Henry and Princess Danielle de Barbarac!"

--

_And while Cinderella and her Prince did live happily ever after...the point, gentlemen...is that they lived._


End file.
